Clamping device



- (Model.)

J. H. STOGKHAM.

GLAMPING DEVICE.

No. 562,862. Patented June 30, i896.

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JAMES nT sTooKHAM, or nEs MOINES, IowA.

CLAM PING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 562,862, dated June30, 1896.

Application tiled December 23, 1895. Serial No. 573,134. (Model.)

To o-ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JAMES H. STOCKHAM, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State ofIowa, have invented a new and useful Bedclothes-Clamp, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a cheap, simple, and durableclamp adapted to be secured to the side pieces of a bed or crib and toadmitbedclothes to be clamped therein.

A further object is to provide a ,clamp that is automaticallyadjustable, so that clothes of any thickness may be clamped therein, andwhich will automatically lock itself in any posit-ion in which it isplaced.

To this end my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of the various parts of the device, as hereinafter setforth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure l is a top View of the clamp. Fig. 2 is a sideview of the same shown in an open position by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is atop View of a modified form of clamp, its operation also beingillustrated by dotted lines.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the reference-letter A is usedto designate the block upon which the device is secured. Said block maybe secured in any ordinary manner to the side pieces of a bedstead orthe device may be secured directly to said side pieces without the useof a block.

The part designated by the reference-letter B is composed of twoparallel side pieces with their ends bent iirst inwardly, then at rightangles at B2, extending beneath the said side pieces,which side piecesare inclined upwardly from their forward ends toward their rear ends,for purposes hereinafter explained. Staples B3 secure the end portionsof the parts B to the block, the right-angled portion B2 on the ends ofsaid part being allowed a slight vertical ilexion. The central portionof this The forward end of said lpart C is designed to just clear saidcentral portion B4. It will now be seen that the pivotal point of thepart C is somewhat beneath the rear ends of the parallel side pieces ofthe part B, and that the forward end of the part C will pass below theforward end of the part B when in a closed position, and that they willform two jaws adapted to admit bedclothes between them. rlhese jaws areoperated by the following device:

D designates a piece of wire bent in a form convenient to be grasped bya persons hand, and having the loops D2, formed in its ends, adapted toencircle the side pieces of both of the aforesaid jaws, so that when thepart D is drawn forwardly the jaws will be drawn together and firmlyheld, and when at the rearward limit of its stroke the jaws will beforced apart, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, by means of the upward inclineof the sides of the part B. It will also be obvious that the device willbe practically locked when in any position, as pressure applied to theends of the jaws will not be sufficient to separate them, as they canonly be separated or drawn together by moying the-loops D2longitudinally, and thus compeiling the sides C to follow the upwardinoline of the sides B.

The operation of the jaws will be more readily understood by'referenceto Fig. 2, which shows a side elevation of the clamp with the jaws in aclosed position and by dotted lines in an open position.

It will be understood that the side pieces B of the fixed jaw inclinefrom the jaw proper upwardly and that the side pieces C of the movablejaw arestraight and are pivoted at their ends to swing in a verticalplane. The handle D, having two loops D2, is slidingly mounted with itsloops overlapping the said side pieces B and C. Therefore said sidepieces will be held close together at the point where the loops encirclethem, although they cannot at any time lie in the same horizontal plane.The forward ends of the side pieces B of the fixed jaw are close totheblock or base. Therefore when said loops are at their forward limits thehinged jaw mus-t be close to the base, that is, in the position shown insolid lines. Then when said loops are moved rearwardly they follow theupward incline of the fixed side pieces B and are elevated above theblock or base. The side piecesCof the hinged jaw are pivoted at theirrear ends and extended through said loops. Hence When the loops are inan elevated position said side pieces must be elevated in order toassume aposition in line with the pivotal point of the side pieces Q andthe elevated position of the loops D2, that is, in the positionillustrated by dotted lines.

By attaching the ends of the movable jaw to the ends B2 it willbeobvious that by reason of the resilience of the metal forming said endsa slight movement of said jaws relative to each other is permitted, sothat when clothes of dierent thicknesses are admitted between the jawsthey Will automatically adjust themselves.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 3 the part D is extended rearwardlyfrom the loops D2, so that when used in a horizontal plane the jaws maybe separated by pulling'rearwardly upon the said part and be broughttogether by pushing it forwardly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is-

l. A bedclothes-clamp, comprising a fixed and a hinged jaw each havingparallel side pieces, the one fixed to a stationary support and theother hinged to a like support the side pieces of one jaw being inclinedupwardly relative to the other side pieces, and a handle having theloops formed therein adapted to encircle said side pieces, to operatesubstantially as, and for the purposes, stated.

2. A bedclothes-clamp, comprising a piece of wire having parallel sidepieces, its ends bent at right angles at B2 and its central porparallelside pieces and its ends extended at right angles to the side pieces,for the purposes stated, a second part having its ends hinged to saidstraight ends and its sides extended parallel With the aforesaid sidepieces but in divergent planes, and loops to overlap said side pieces,substantially as, and for the purposes, stated.

JAMES H. STOCKHAM.

lVitnesses:

J. RALPH ORWIG, THOMAS G. ORWIG.

